After I hung up with Rob, I returned to the family room, plopping down next to Courtney on the couch. “And to answer your question: No!”
She leaned in and whispered, “You should really try it. It’s completely safe, and it will get you through those lonely months while he’s away at school.”
My face burned with embarrassment. “I am not having this conversation with you.”
“Fine,” she relented with a smile. “I’ll have it with Rob then.”
“Oh, no!” I grabbed her arm and felt a familiar feeling like when she used to run off and talk to my crushes.
“Listen, I worry about you two,” she said with a little pout. “Chloe, do you know why most long-distance relationships fail?”
I shrugged. “Because people stop loving each other?”
“Wrong.”
“Okay, enlighten me then.”
“It’s not because people stop loving each other; it’s just so easy to fill that void with someone else.”
“Listen! Rob is the only guy who could ever fill my void!”
Courtney’s eyes popped open. “Your void, huh? I thought you were a virgin.”
I picked up a throw pillow from the couch and hit her upside the head. “Shut up, slut.”
She picked up a pillow and yelled, “Prude!”
“Stop it!” Caitlyn shouted. “I’m trying to watch a movie here.”
Courtney and I had no intention of stopping until one of us got hurt or something got broken. She pushed off the couch and ran into the middle of the family room, armed with a golden throw pillow, and I chased her with a brown one. We made a circuitous route around her house, running at top speed, giggling and swatting each other. We ran through the kitchen, into the dining room, through the living room and back into the family room, and by the second lap around the house, she detoured toward the couch. I caught her. Her head was facedown, and I sat on her legs, pounding her mercilessly with the pillow.
“No freaking way,” Callie said as she pointed to the sliding glass door. Brandon, Austin, Ricky, and a few other guys from the team peered into the family room like little kids at a candy store window.
Caitlyn crossed the room, slid open the sliding glass door, and bid them entrance with a graceful wave of her hand. Then she walked her fingers up Brandon’s chest. “Aw, you couldn’t stay away, could you?” He replied with a long kiss as the guys got comfortable on the couches.
“You guys out there long?” I asked.
“Long enough to see you and Courtney make nice.” Austin held up his phone in my face. “And I got it all right here.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So—” He licked his lips and smiled. “A little girl-on-girl action always gets plenty of views on the ’Net.”
“Pervert,” I said as I reached out for his phone.
He bolted into the kitchen and lounged against the counter with a grin on his face. “Ah, come and get it, baby?” He slipped the phone down the front of his pants, and his nimble fingers unfastened the top button of his jeans. “Go ahead. Grrrrab it.”
“You…you…I don’t know what you are!”
“But I know what you are.” He glared at me as he fished the phone out of his pants. “You’re a little tease.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I don’t know why I ever dated you.”
“Puh-lease, you’ve had a thing for me since the day we met. You couldn’t hide it then, and you still can’t hide it now.” He wheeled around and pulled a couple of beers from the fridge. “Here, catch.” He chucked one in my direction. “You’re more fun after you’ve had a few.”
I put the unopened beer on the counter and entered the family room. Courtney was on the couch between Ricky Sampson and Morgan Harris. Morgan was the place kicker on our team and the go-to guy for party favors (if you know what I mean). The two of them were playing tug-o-war for her affections, and I fell into the easy chair next to them and decided to watch the match. I was betting on Ricky. Morgan was a little wild—even for Courtney’s tastes.
The sliding glass doors opened again. More familiar faces entered, and I realized our girls’ night-in was turning into quite the party. “Hey!” I got Courtney’s attention. “I think I’ll head home.”
“Why?” she pouted.
Austin hung an arm around my shoulders. “Because Chloe still wants me and can’t handle being around me.”
“You wish,” I pelted at him.
And then I decided to stay, just to prove him wrong.